Electronic components, such as electronic devices, are trending to become smaller in size while increasing in performance technology. Other applications facilitating electrochemical cell power supplies demand high output or high efficiency. As electronic components are designed smaller in size, incorporate sophisticated and complex technology, require high power density and high level of control and efficiency, the demands on the associated power supply become greater. Further, the additional technology may require that the power supply last for longer periods of time or that power be delivered at uniform rates for steady electronic component performance.
One example of a power supply is a fuel cell system. A fuel cell system may include one or multiple fuel cell layers, each layer comprising anodes, cathodes, and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anodes and cathodes. A fuel cell system which includes such a cellular layer typically includes a means for supplying air to the cathodes and a means for supply or fuel or other reactant fluid to the anodes at an acceptable pressure level.
In many electrochemical cell systems, such as fuel cell systems, reactant plenums include a flow distribution network, or flow field, to direct the flow of fuel across the electrochemical cell layer. This adds complexity, cost and volume to the design. However, with a single inlet the size of the electrochemical cell layer that can be serviced without a flow field is very limited, since the need to uniformly distribute fuel to the fuel absorbing anodes requires non-uniform flow profiles within the cavity. Such non-uniform flow profiles have negative effect on fuel cell operation. In particular, this sets up gradients of water flux and heat transfer within the electrochemical cell layer leading to uneven power production, and hence degraded performance and lifetime.